Mapping the Marauders' Last Years
by Croftgal
Summary: An exploration of the relationships and betrayals within the Marauders. Canon - will end around the time of the Potter's deaths.
1. Prophecy

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ..."_

Voldemort watched the last spark of light among the ashes in the fireplace flare briefly and die. Now the only light in the room came from his servant's wand, a faithful servant, whose tidings brought Voldemort's future into focus. A prophecy had been made about Lord Voldemort, and his bloodless lips smiled at the thought. Such was his importance that the very Fates bent around him. He had been given one final task to accomplish before immortality. He would find this child, kill it, and nothing would halt his ascendancy.

But what to do about his servant? Should one who has heard a weakness of Lord Voldemort, however trifling, be allowed to live? Voldemort's skeletal fingers caressed his wand. However... he would need a Death Eater to find this child, one aware of the import of his mission.

"Rise, Severus," said Voldemort. The man before him rose on legs that trembled from maintaining a kneeling pose for so long. "You have done well. You now have the opportunity to serve Lord Voldemort. I will entrust you alone to carry out my orders on this matter. And when I have disposed of this child, you shall have power such as you have never dreamed."

Snape's eyes glittered in the wandlight.

...

"C'mon Lily, or we'll be late," James hollered in the direction of the stairs.

"I'M COMING." James grinned at the equally loud retort. A few seconds later, Lily appeared at the top of the stairs, face as red as her hair. Each step she advanced towards him was punctuated by a snarl, "Arrogant... toerag... see... how long it takes... you... to... scrub... off... werewolf blood."

"Sorry love," said James, arranging a penitent expression on his face. He couldn't maintain it though, and succumbed to a grin. "But if you'd just ducked when I told you to, you'dve been clean as a whistle." He pulled her in for a kiss before she could retort, and when they broke apart he touched his forehead to hers and murmured, "but then I wouldn't have had to help you in the shower."

James chuckled as Lily flushed, but her voice was dry, "So I can tell Padfoot it's your fault we're late then?"

James blanched as he saw the time, and said, " Quick, or we'll never hear the end of it." He released Lily, keeping hold only of her hand as they disapparated together.

James caught Lily as she tottered on Sirius' doorstep. Times being what they were, even Sirius had bowed to pressure and allowed McGonagall to secure his new house with the strongest spells available.

The sound of a revving motorbike announced their arrival. James saw Lily cover her ears and grimace over the noise of Sirius' novelty doorbell. As the last of the revving died away the door was wrenched open by a beaming Sirius, welcoming light spilling out around him. "Hello Lily, Prongs," he said, standing back and waving them inside, "Come on in."

"Creative doorbell Padfoot," said Lily, smirking up at him. James laughed as Sirius engulfed her in a hug.

"Yeah, I thought it would suggest to any Death Eaters that show up that they should make a quick getaway." Sirius turned to grip James' arm as Lily smoothed down her disheveled hair behind him. "Wormtail and Moony have almost finished the Butterbeer." He looked between them, leering. "What were you two newlyweds doing to make you so late?"

James bit back a sharp retort. He was getting sick of Sirius' bawdy jokes in the three months since his marriage. He was saved by his wife punching Sirius' arm and saying, "If you must know, Padfoot, we had to help the Ministry get rid of a pack of werewolves in Knockturn Alley."

Sirius' jovial expression was wiped away quicker than you could say _'Scourgify'_. He drew back and looked them over. "That's the second time you two have gone off without the Order. Were you hurt?"

"We didn't have much choice Padfoot," said James, squaring his shoulders. "We were in Diagon Alley when the Ministry tried to evacuate everyone." James met Sirius' gaze levelly. "They'd been tipped off about an attack on Gringotts. Probably Death Eaters having a bit of fun."

Lily shivered.

"Crouch wouldn't let us anywhere near Knockturn Alley, even though we told him Dumbledore had been expecting an attack through there. Said he had it under control." James rolled his eyes. "But Edgar Bones let us through - lucky he's Ministry and Order of the Phoenix, or Voldemort would be Minister already."

James held up his hands as Sirius opened his mouth, "Leave it, Padfoot. We're fine, we won and Dumbledore agrees we did the right thing. It's not like you and I have stayed within the protection of the Order every time we fancy a fight."

Sirius grinned, but James didn't return it. Fresh out of Hogwarts they had been reckless in provoking You-Know-Who's supporters, culminating in their motorbike being chased by both the Muggle police and Death Eaters. Amusing as it had been to see the Death Eaters splatter themselves over the policecar, James didn't relish the memories of Dumbledore's – and Lily's- reaction.

"I wasn't going to say anything about it Prongs," said Sirius, shaking his head, "I know the pair of you can take care of yourselves. I was just going to tell you not to mention it around Moony." Sirius lowered his voice, "He's a bit down, and you know how sensitive he is about mentioning werewolves and You-Know-Who in the same conversation."

"What's the matter with him?" said Lily, frowning.

"Dumbledore got wind of a new player among the werewolves. He'd been doing a pretty good job of reasoning with them and the Ministry until Greyback appeared. Greyback's beyond reason – out for all the blood he can get, Wizard or Muggle." Sirius sighed and ran a hand through his shaggy hair.

Lily looked horrified at the news. James took hold of her hand and squeezed it. The gesture helped him cover his own alarm. "Has You-Know-Who recruited -," started James.

"Not as far as we know, yet. Dumbledore had a chat with Moony last night. He's been low ever since. I think - "

Sirius was cut short when Peter opened the door at the end of the hall. He was a short man, and his nose twitched when he saw the three of them standing by the front door. "Hello Prongs, hello Lily," his eyes slid up and down Lily's figure. "You look lovely as ever. Aren't you going to come in? Moony and I want to hear all the news too."

"Hello Wormy," said Lily, moving forward and tactfully drawing him into the kitchen. James and Sirius were left alone in the hall.

Sirius made as if to move but stopped and slouched against the wall, avoiding James' eye. "Prongs, send a patronus to me next time, alright?" He let his breath out shakily. "If anything happened to you or Lily I couldn't live with myself."

James clapped him on the arm. "Thanks Padfoot." He knew how much it took for Sirius to admit to any sentiment. "We were lucky you know. I thought for a second today she was going to get hurt." He remembered the split second's fear, and how his body had turned stiff – too stiff to reach Lily in time. "But you know Lily, faster with a hex than..." James didn't realise he had trailed off; a common occurrence when he thought about his wife.

"Than Snivillus with a curse for you?" finished Sirius, folding his arms. " C'mon, or Wormtail will be out here again looking for us."

The two made their way into the kitchen. Remus was sitting by the fire, curls of steam rising from his robes. Lily had taken a rocking chair beside him and was bouncing it up and down on the balls of her feet while she talked with Remus. Peter bustled around, fetching plates for cauldron cakes and Butterbeers for the arrivals.

"Hello James," said Remus. His smile was genuine but strained.

"Hello Moony," said James, going right up to his friend and clapping him on the shoulder. Close up, James could see dark circles and weary lines around Remus' eyes. They disappeared for a second when Remus gripped James' forearm in return, smoothed out by the pleasure Remus always showed when he was included in the camaraderie.

The group was soon settled around the fire. Between Sirius and James the food disappeared in short order. James relaxed in the company of his friends - family really.

Lily and James made no mention of their day. Instead James teased Lily about her desire for a cat when the two of them couldn't even keep enough food in the house for themselves. Sirius and Remus amused the group with stories of their pranks on Alastor Moody. Sirius took credit for giving the Auror a new mantra, 'Constant vigilance!'. Peter was the perfect audience, quick to prompt his friends for more tales of their outrageous deeds.

The night wore on, time passing unheeded by the laughing group. Despite everything; despite the war and the deaths and the fear each day brought, James had something the Death Eaters could never touch. A place where he could be himself, friendships that would never die and a beautiful wife to share love with him forever.


	2. Preparation

Sirius was not a man given to thoughtful gestures, but on this particular morning he rather thought he had excelled himself. Yes, perhaps the kitchen hadn't quite survived his attempt to make breakfast unscathed, and yes, it might be true that using his wand to flip the pancakes hadn't been his finest hour. But Sirius still couldn't keep the smug grin off his face when he banged on Remus' door, tray hovering by his side.

When there was no response Sirius grunted in annoyance and decided to take the direct route. Opening the door to the darkened room, he directed the fruit of his mornings labour onto Remus' cluttered desk. He then tugged open the tattered curtains to reveal a crisp December morning.

"Go away Sirius." The muffled voice seemed to come from the mound of blankets on the bed. "I told you last night that I'm not coming today."

Sirius ignored that comment and lifted a handful of sheets, wafting the smell of the plate of bacon he held into his friends hiding place. "I made you breakfast!"

Sirius' self-satisfied glow disappeared as the blankets were yanked back into place. "No thank you," said the mound with icy politeness.

"Remus, Dumbledore wanted everyone at this meeting. If he's planning an attack with the Aurors then we'll need every wand."

Remus consented to poke his dishevelled head out, squinting in the morning light. "I'm sure the Order can manage without its resident werewolf for once."

"C'mon Moony,"said Sirius in exasperation. "I spent the last hour slaving like a house-elf to make your favourite breakfast. At least tell me why not."

Both men glared at eachother for a moment. "Fine," said Remus, huffing as he sat up. Sirius swivelled the desk chair to face his friend and sat down, relieved that Remus' sullen silence of several days was being broken. Remus started to speak quietly. "Dumbledore and I don't see eye to eye on my role in the Order." Here Remus' restraint seemed to break. "I'm not just a werewolf, I'm a wizard too you know! But the only thing I'm ever told is, 'Lupin, recuit the werewolves, Lupin, reason with the werewolves, Lupin-'" Here he trailed off and waved his arms in an inarticulate gesture of anger.

Sirius sat stunned for a moment before offering the breakfast tray to Remus. He didn't want to share the obvious observation until the man had some food in him. Then again, it might not be the time to remind Remus that he was, in fact, a werewolf and the tasks he was given made sense.

Remus only managed a forkful of eggs before he sighed and pushed the breakfast away. "Moony," Sirius said, holding up his hands to show he meant no offence. " I know it's a crappy hand you've been dealt, but we all have to play to our strengths and do our duty. It's a war."

His friend nodded tiredly and looked at Sirius for the first time. "I know that Padfoot, and I've been doing my best. But recently..."

He looked as if he was struggling to say more, but after a moment he lowered his eyes. His fists clenched on the blankets.

"Look," said Sirius, feeling sorry for his friend, "I'll talk to Dumbledore. But I don't know if it will make much difference. We need you now more than ever. You know how much trouble Greyback – "

Remus' head jerked up and he interrupted. "I've asked you already not to talk to me about that monster." There was naked anger spelt out on his normally affable face.

Sirius was taken aback by his friends sudden agression. "There's no need to have a go at me. I'm not the one killing Muggles and changing Muggle-borns every turn round."

Remus shook his head, jaw tight, and made to get up and push past Sirius. Silence enveloped him again. But this time Sirius had had enough. He grabbed Remus' arm as he passed. "I don't know what the hell has got into you, but you don't just turn your back on the Order. And you definitely don't turn your back on your friends. There's a war on. Get used to it. We're all pretty fed up, but we're all just doing what we can."

"Thanks for the advice," snarled Remus. He freed himself from Sirius' grip with surprising strength and stalked out of the room.

Sirius sat, fuming. Not even his family could make him as angry as he was in that moment. He didn't think it could get any worse, until a distant voice travelled back to his ears. "And your cooking tastes like Snape's mouldy old socks!"

...

The Order meeting was in Hogsmeade, a location that would normally have excited Sirius, as he and Moony would have done some recreational Zonko's shopping. But today it only served to remind him of their fight. Sirius had apparated to the back of the Three Broomsticks at the appointed time without speaking further to Remus. Now he stared sullenly around the inn's backyard, unwilling to set off.

He was jolted out of his brooding by the crack of another Order member appearing beside him. "Padfoot!" exclaimed Peter, clearly delighted to find his friend alone.

"How are you Wormy?" muttered Sirius half-heartedly. He wasn't really in the mood to deal with the excitable little man alone.

"Can't complain," said Peter, and they started towards the Hog's Head together. His voice took on a martyred tone. "Though Mother gets more frightened every day. She thought she heard someone sneaking around the house last night."

Sirius saw Peter glance up at him, waiting for a reaction. Sirius sighed and made a questioning noise, "Umm-hmm?"

Peter puffed his chest out, which nearly made him trip as he tried to keep up with his longer-legged friend. "I went to investigate of course." He paused again.

Sirius rolled his eyes out of Peter's sight. It was like pulling teeth. "Umm-hmm?"

"It turned out to be a cow that had escaped from the next field." Peter gave a high pitched laugh. "Destroyed Mother's flowers." Sirius managed a token chuckle. He hadn't fully appreciated what a buffer Remus was until this moment.

"Where's Moony?" asked Peter, looking around as if Remus was playing hide-and-seek in the vicinity.

"Not coming," grunted Sirius. "Ill."

"Oh," said Peter. He glanced round conspiratorially and whispered, "When's the Full Moon?"

"Not that kind of sick Peter," Sirius snapped.

The small man looked wounded at Sirius' tone, but before the guilt became strong enough to wrench an apology from Sirius the pair had reached their destination. Inside the dingy pub Alberforth jerked his head in the direction of the stairs.

The private room was nearly full when the two entered. It was set out as if for a lecture, rows of chairs facing a lecturn at the front. Sirius looked around for James and Lily and found them on the left-hand side of the room. The wizards present sat in their groups, Ministry Aurors on the other side of the room from the Order. There were many suspicious looks, very little talk and no refreshments, dispelling any resemblence to a gathering that would have taken place in normal times.

The four friends exchanged hushed greetings as Sirius and Peter took the seats Lily and James had saved for them. Sirius was saved from explaining the glaring absence of Remus by the entrance of Dumbledore and Moody. Absolute silence stole over the gathered wizards.

The two made their way to the front and stood before the group. Sirius avoided Moody's glaring gaze by regarding Dumbledore intently. Dumbledore was calm and unreadable, his piercing blue eyes took in the gathering over his half-moon spectacles before he spoke.

"Thank you for coming," said Dumbledore. "You have been summoned here by Alastor or myself because you comprise the front line in the war against Voldemort." Sirius sat up a bit straighter. "For the first time we have a warning of his next movement. Our colleagues in the Ministry," here he stopped to bow slightly to Moody, "have identified the location of his next attack. Alastor." Dumbledore spread his arm graciously and retired from the podium.

Moody clumped forward. "Most of you know of the threat the Minister received yesterday. For those who don't, the short version is that You-Know-Who demands the ceasation of arrests and obstruction of his supporters by the Ministry." The grim tilt to his mouth betrayed his disgust. "If we do not comply a mass Muggle killing will be the result."

Sirius leaned towards James with teeth bared in a grin and thumbs up for the coming action. He sensed a fight. James returned the grin, at least until Lily nudged his attention back to Moody.

"...so we are certain You-Know-Who will lead the attack himself. We've narrowed it down to somewhere in Central London, but we've nothing to go on after that." Moody held up a hand to forestall the murmurs that were growing into a growl. Sirius grimaced; it was going to be a long night of patrol, and therefore boredom. Moody continued over the dissent, "I know it's a large area to cover, but it's a damn sight better than being blindsided," he said, thumping the lecturn for both emphasis and silence.

Dumbledore rose, and the room was quiet again. "This is why we need you all." His gaze was stern. "Every trusted wand we can gather for patrol and the eventual fight is essential." Sirius grunted at this and folded his arms. His anger at Remus returned in full force.

Moody nodded once and took over again. Sirius' attention began to wander as the minutiae of patrol times, routes and the protocols for attack were laid out. Sirius had never known a Death Eater who stuck to a plan, and his own abilities were best employed in the heat of the moment anyway.

Just before the meeting came to a close, and Sirius drifted off into a doze, the pounding of feet up the stairs meant the room came on high alert. Chairs were overturned for cover and all wands trained on the rickety door. There was a tense moment as the feet paused. The door inched open by increments.

The head of Remus Lupin came into view, and his face fell at the havoc he had caused. "Oh. Oh sorry!" He stammered, sidling fully inside with his arms up. Sirius broke into a smile, and rose from behind his chair. Wands were lowered, and some of the Order members laughed. But before Sirius could start forward, a hex rushed past his shoulder and struck Remus square on the chest. Remus hit the floor, the crash he made masked by a shout from Moody, "Constant vigilance!"


End file.
